ABSTRACT
European Union Directive 98/83 underlines the importance of determining the quality of drinking water in order to protect human health. In particular, a number of chemical compounds are listed, such as benzene, 1,2-dichloroethane, tetrachloroethylene, chloroform, and trihalomethanes, whose concentration in drinking water must be kept under well-dened thresholds. In Italy, laws DL 31/01, DM 152/99, and DM 471/99 set the norms for the concentrations of these, and of many other compounds in drinking water, wastewater, and contaminated sites, respectively.
